Lawson’s Bay Colony with a population of nearly 10,000 is a mixture of elite and fishermen communities. It is a compact residential colony having a lone government school and a park managed by the Residential Welfare Association. Except for the greenery and massive shade giving trees, the park is full of weeds and unwanted plantation. A defunct well full of snakes located in the park is dreaded by one and all.

Recently, the GVMC developed a walking track. The track is widely used by the residents of the colony. However, many are afraid of the presence of snakes. The colony comes under the wards 7 and 17. The colony has underground drainage system, quite good roads, and avenue plantations. Located very close to the sea shore, the residents enjoy the warmth of the sea breeze. The serene climate and relatively peaceful environment entices one and all to reside in the area. Highly educated people, including Andhra University professors, businessmen, and retired people have made the colony their home. It is mostly residential and has less of business activity. A few private educational institutions also exist in the locality catering to the affluent and the middle class. A temple, a mosque, and a church are positioned in a triangular location in the colony. The National Institute of Oceanography (NIC), a research institute which studies the sea behaviour, sea mammals, climate, and ocean related aspects, is located in the colony. Many visit the colony due to location of famous tourist destinations ‘Kailasagiri’, the rope way on the foot of the hill, and the Lumbini Park. APTDC’s ‘Haritha’ restaurant beckons the tourists to reside there during their sojourn in the city. The only noted eatery in the colony is the ‘People’s Kitchen’. Prabhakar, a resident of the area, says people in the neighbourhood enjoy going to the Kailasagiri. The whole beauty of the city can be captured in the lens. It is also feast to eyes to watch the brightly illuminated city in the night.

Ex-Corporator of 7 municipal ward Vijay Chander says the colony is quite old and many of its residents have been living there for more than three to four decades. The apartment culture which made deep inroads into the colony is tampering with the pristine beauty of the colony. Many trees are being felled to accommodate apartments. Unfortunately no apartment builder is giving importance to leave space for greenery in the housing complexes. Not many problems are there in our colony. Kailasagiri is bonus to us. Police patrolling and checking of vehicles by police is a welcome action. The colony is problem-free and peaceful, he says.

Educationist M.V.R. Manidhar says despite having underground drainage, the colony gets submerged by the overflowing water from Andhra University gushing through the local drains and inundating the low-lying areas. The GVMC officials must divert water to other drains and not through the drains in the colony due to presence of several low-lying areas. Another disadvantage in the colony is the treatment of the colony as no man’s land by the sanitary workers as the colony comes under two municipal wards. The sanitary workers of both the wards shirk their responsibility and shift blame on their counterparts, he says.

Fishermen’s domain

The colony is typical in nature with a beautiful picture of affluent residents and also of fishermen . One can find fishermen spreading their nets and attending to their repairs on the roads in the colony and on the beach road. Fishermen and their families live in their hamlets Jalari Yendada, Vasuvanipalem, and Shivaganeshpalem. The colony has special fish drying facilities and net repairing platforms from where they operate after a hard day’s toil for fish catch. Mathsyaraju of Jalariveedhi says life in the sea is dangerous as one can never guarantee safe return from the boisterous sea. Narsamma says she is able to sell good quantum of fish as she maintains good relations with housewives.

Slideshow

Workers carryingout repairs to Visakhapatnam District Collector's Office, as it was damaged in Cyclone Hudhud in 2014 October. The majestic heritage building was designed and built by Dutch engineering company Gannon Dunkerly in 1865 and completed by 1914. Photos: C.V. Subrahmanyam